Caisson construction.



G. G. CONKLING.

GAISSON CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED IEB.23, 1912.

Patented Sept. 2, 1913.

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COLUMBIA PLANOuRAr-H 60.. WASHINGTON, D. c.

C. G. GONKLING.

GAISSON CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 23, 1012.

Patented Sept. 2, 1913.

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CLOUD CLIFFORD CONKLING, 0F BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO LACKAXVANNA STEEL COMPANY, OF LACKAWANNA, NEW YOBK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

CAISSON CONSTRUCTION.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CLOUD Cmrronn CoNnLINe, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of lew York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Caisson Construction, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to metal caissons for use in submarine wor t and in the constrllction of piers, foundations, &c., and consists in a new method of constructing such caissons, whereby they may be made of steel sheet-piling more conveniently, accurately and economically than heretofore and the friction to be overcome in sinking the caisson is largely reduced, and in a new interlocking lining for the caisson, made of wooden planking or other suitable material, to prevent contact and bonding of the concrete with the steel, whereby it is made possible to remove and save the steel sheet-pile sections when the concrete has hardened. Heretofore such caissons have commonly been made of rigid steel, that is of plates riveted together to form a shell, or open box, of cylindrical, or rectangular, form, which is then forced down gradually as a unit to bed rock. The disadvantages of such caissons are the great friction and power required for driving, for the friction increases directly both with the diameter and the length of the shell; the shell can only be sunk to the highest point of the bed-rock; the excavation within must be carried on simultaneously with the driving of the shell, for both the outside and inside friction rapidly increase, and therefore the resistance must be eliminated as far as possible by keeping the inside excavation at, or below, the bottom or cutting edge; the riveted steel shell cannot be withdrawn after the pier is completed, but must be left permanently in place, so that the value of the steel in such a shell is lost and must be added as an increase to the cost of the foundations.

In my construction the caisson is made of steel sheet-piling, in which each section of comparatively narrow width may be driven independently down to bed-rock, or other suitable material, at varying depths and thus all the driving power concentrated on each individual section; simultaneous excavation within is not necessary; by use of Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 23, 1912.

Patented Sept. 2,1 913.

Serial No. 679,416.

a wooden lining as described herein the steel sections may be used as an indirect form for the concrete so that they may be pulled, when the concrete has hardened, thus saving the value of the steel.

By my method, a. shallow trench or pit is excavated at the surface, of a few feet in depth and oil the form desired -tor the caisson; the steel piling is then set up in this excavation, with the various sections interlocked, and a complete closure made. hen necessary, a wooden templct, or form, can be laid in correct position in the bottom of the excavation to act as a guide and to insure perfect. form in the caisson. Each pile section is then driven independently to bed rock, after which the remaining excavation can be begun and completed in a continuous operation. Evidently it is not necessary to drive each section continuously home to bedrock, for, if more convenient, each may be driven a certain distance, so that the whole structure will go down step by step, but this is but a trifling variation in procedure for it involves the independent driving of each section.

My invention will be understood by reterence to the drawing herewith in which the same reference nume 'als indicate the same parts in all the figures.

Figures 1 and 2 show respectively in plan and in vertical section a circular caisson made and lined according to my invention. Fig. 3 is an isometric view of one unit of the wooden lining. Fig. 4- illustrates in plan the use of the wooden form to guide the driw ing. Figs. 5 and 6 are enlarged tragmental plan views showing the preferred construction of lining, respectively in a straight wall and a curved wall, caisson. Figs. 7 and 8 are similar views showing modified forms thereof.

In the figures 1 indicates the sheet piling sections of any suitable form of which the required number are driven with their interlocking elements in engagement to form a caisson ot' the desired size and shape. These sections are each driven home separately by the pile-driver and may he handled in any convenient way, but I recommend for many locations the method indicated in Fig. t where is indicated a wooden form oi the exact diameter of the caisson. A small trench is dug around this, a foot Fig. 4,

but should be maintained by suitable supbled on the insideofthe caisson. tier 0 tier .a minimum; broken joints are ;formed in extent as ,to not iform i onsiderable ,ad-

or two deep, to receive the ends of the .sec-

tions, which are then driven home to bed rock, the form, or templet, acting as a guide to preserve correct alinement. The form is then removed and all excavation within the wall so formed is done continuously. In

9 indicates the segmental boards forming the outline of the templet connected by the two sets of-cross braces 3 and 4.

It will be understood that where the concrete is deposited in a steel caisson,'using the latterus a form, and the ccncrete comesi in direct contact with the steel, =the fluid, matrix of the concrete will enter the interlocking joints more or less, -and,-both at the joints and along the entire inside surface of thesteel,-theconcrete will adhere, prevent-- .ing the steelsectlons l'romibelng w thdrawn later. Therefore to.v overcome this I-havednrented a supplementary lining of which} suitable forms are shownin the drawing.

To reduce the friction the lining boards should not set fiat agains -the steel sections ports out of-contact therewith or. should engagetherewith onlyat a limited number of To that end '1 construct-'the -lining board 6 and an outer 7 are spikedito aiblock or stud S to form a lining unit, with ;the edgeof the inner extending-outwardly on one side and the edge of the outer outwardly on the other, to interlock with the adjacent units as shown. These units, during or afterinterior excavation,.are assemwith the blocks set against the innersurface of the steel and with their edgespverlap ping as shown. Thus the lining is locked in position and is self sustained; .only the blocks come in contact ,with the steel sections, reducingthe frictionwhempulling to the dining, so there is little dangerof the Cement mortar leaking through and coming in contact with the steel,.and, if any does leak, there will be contact ;to such afsmall' hcsion or mechanical bond with :the steel;

thereby the function of the lining, to reduce? such bonding and tomake possible the with-g drawal of the. steel, is subseryed' to -the fullest.

'In Fig. 5 a rectangularcaisson is illusfl trated wit-hone unit ateach corner s tzecially' formed as shown. One end is souare and a supplementary block '11 is ,provided to engage with the piling interlocks Q-f;l3l1 6 cor-f her piece 10.

In Fig. 8 is shown a single lining ,of' planks without blocks. Angles 12 are 13111 etcd to the steel sections at intervals whereby one end of each board is held in posi tion and the other end mainta ned ,out of ,enq'a ement with the steel and .overla) ino' C C" .1 a .0

the next board. Eachboardds'incontact with the steel sections at such points only. But I do not consider this form desirable on account oftheexpense of fabricating.

The form of lining shown 'in F 7 is desirable, where the stronger reinforced steel sections are used provided with the middle flanges 14;1i. Here the blocks 8 are omitted for their function is 'subserved. "by the steel-flanges. Preferably the units, composed only of the two planks spiked together as shown, are arranged with their ends resting on the -zflanges, and overlapping as shown. Bythe use of thesteel sections, each can be driven home independently and .therefore easilyand conveniently and with dess' friction, and eachcan bedrivenlion e inclependently to bed-rock so that the bottom of the .caisson conforms thereto as shown in .Fig. 2. This adds-tothe strength and wadef-tightness. By the use. of the liningthe concrete of the foundation is kept from. engagement with .the steelsections so thataf- -ter the work isfinished, the sections may be pulled easily, 3 in ,mostcases practically uninjured.

The advantages of .ease in construction and driving .l1o ine to bed-rock are obvious, but, account ofthe expense of-the steel, sheet piling could .not be used in most places as a form for permanent concrete foundations unless it be withdrawn for future useorsale andlit. could not.be with ,drawn unless there were some convenient.

.means for preventing contact of the concrete and the steel. The cost isthusimuch less than of steel -;pl ate rigid cylinders which must be left in ,placa'nottomention again the other advantages.

The use of the form or templet is not required but the excavation may proceed as thesectionsware driven. lVhenthedepth of the ,foun dation .is such that the caisson will require interior bracing, this can be in- ,stallediin the usual manner by useofwaling timbers and struts and the wooden :lining placed between the ,waling-timbe-rsand the caisson 'wall of steel sheet piling and car- ,rieddown in sections from the top. as the excavation proceeds.

While the lining may be ,made of any suitable qznaterial, ryet commonly the units will be made of ,bo rds .of any suitable .wid-th such ,as twelve inches, and could be safely used ,in maximum lengths of twelve the wall, said lining being in engagement with the steel at small and separate points of contact only.

2. In a caisson for concrete foundations a series of interlocking steel sheet-piling sections forming a continuous closed wall and a continuous lining therefor comprising a series of wooden units arranged circumferentially with one vertical edge of each unit overlapping the edge of the adjacent unit and each unit being in engagement with only a small portion of its surface.

3. In a caisson for concrete foundations, a series of interlocking steel sheet pilin sec tions arranged with their interlocking members in engagement to form the inclosure, and a continuous lining therefor comprising a series of wooden units arranged within the said wall of steel sections and in engagement therewith each unit overlapping the adjacent units and having a small portion only of its rear surface in engagement with the wall.

4. In a caisson for concrete formations, a series of interlocking steel sheet piling sections forming the caisson and a wooden lining therefor to separate the steel from the concrete, said lining consisting of a series of units each con'iprising two similar boards of equal length and width, secured together with one vertical edge of each board extending beyond the corresponding edge of the other, and a block secured to the back of. the boards, said units being arranged to extend circumferentially around the interior of the caisson with the blocks only in engagement with the wall and the outer extending board of each unit overlapping the inner extending board of the next unit.

A wooden lining unit for steel sheetpiling caissons, comprising an inner and an outer board Secured together and arranged with one vertical edge of each extending beyond the corresponding vertical edge of the other, and a block secured to the back of the boards.

6. The herein described method of constructing caissons for concrete foundations which consists in making a shallow excavation of substantially the circumference of the caisson, setting on end in this excavation interlocking metal sheet-piling sections with their interlocking members in engagement throughout the perimeter of the caisson, driving each section separately and completing such independent driving till each section independently reaches suitable material, and, after all the sections are driven, beginning the excavation and excavating continuously till the bottom is reached, then depositing the concrete in the caisson.

7. The herein described method of constructing caissons for concrete foundations, which consists in making a shallow excavation of substantially the circumference of the caisson, setting on end in this excavation interlocking steel sheet piling sections with their interlocking members in engagement throughout the entire perimeter of the caisson, driving each section separately to complete the driving of all the sections, then beginning the excavation and excavating continuously till the bottom is reached, then placing a continuous lining of suitable rigid lining units within the caisson, depositing concrete within the caisson and permitting it to set, and finally withdrawing the steel sections.

8. In a caisson for concrete foundations, a series of interlocking, steel, sheetpiling sections forming the caisson and a wooden lining therefor to separate the steel from the concrete, said lining consisting of a series of units, each comprising two boards, having their vertical edges respectively overlapping each other at opposite ends to overlap the two adjacent units, and a block secured to the back of the boards to engage with the caisson wall, and to maintain the boards spaced therefrom, the superficial area of the block being much less than that of the boards.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CLOUD CLIFFORD UONKLING.

Witnesses EDWARD C. HARD, A. L. McGee.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Yatents, Washington, D. G. 

